I began making knives some years ago mainly by ordering premade blades from knife supply companies. This was not the kind of knife making that I really wanted because I wanted to be able to make my knifes from start (raw steel) to finished blade. At the time I did not really think much of the stock removal method of making my blades and I had no idea how it was done anyway but I wanted something more. As I became more involved using a computer and being able to search the net for information.  I came across Centaur Forge and discovered they had many books and  some VHS video's on all  sorts of blacksmithing and the like. I found a 2 tape set by Franklyn Garland. At the time shelling out 50 bucks for a set of vids was a big deal and for me a lot of money. Well I about wore those things out. With more searching on the web and the tapes I discovered how to build my own gas forge. Gas forge design has come a long ways since then but I made my first gas forge and when it was fired up it sounded like a jet engine and had flame shooting out the front almost 2 feet. My anvil was an 8" diameter piece of 1" thick steel plate. It was a cap to something but it was going to be my anvil. I used Rail Road spikes to nail it down to a large chunk of green maple. The first knife I forged was forged from a steel tent stake I found somewhere. I would go in watch a little of the video Pause it then run outside to try  my hand at doing what I had just seen. I had to rewind many times but I finally got the whole forging process down and thus began forging out blades. When I finally got a real anvil it was time to move on to a coal forge and I found out via the net how to build one and after a little dumpster diving for a brake drum I made one. Now coal was another thing as I had no idea there was different types of the stuff and all I could get was anthracite at the time and it was a bear to get  it to fire up but I managed ok. To the left there is a pic of me with my first coal forge and my first real anvil workin under a tarp off the side of the shed.  I had picked up a 1x30 sander which became my knife grinder. A friend of mine now has that 1x30 and I have 4 or 5 grinders in my arsenal to assist in making my blades now. As more things began to appear on the net I expanded out into Blacksmithing. I have met some real good people over the years but one of the first was Ralph. The man is a walkin idea just waitin to happen and many a napkin gave up their all to illustrate his idea. Thanks Ralph you've been a great help over the years and I really appreciate it. Just don't let it go to your head :-)  now if I can figure out how to do the thumbnail thing I will be all set. Please enjoy this site and if you have any questions just ask away via my e-mail. Thanks for stopping by. I do classes from my shop throughout the year and have a few pages of people that have taken the class with their knives they forged.